{{pageModel.leagueAbbr}} {{pageModel.subtitle}} | Las Vegas Review-Journal
National Hockey League
St. Louis 4, Nashville 0
When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, November 7, 2015
Where: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee
Referees: Trevor Hanson, Justin St. Pierre
Linesmen: Brad Kovachik, Jonny Murray
Attendance: 17143

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- St. Louis Blues coach Ken Hitchcock believes in a simple formula for winning on the road -- strong goaltending and good special teams.

And St. Louis had both Saturday night.

Defensemen Colton Parayko and Alex Pietrangeolo scored power-play goals and goaltender Jake Allen posted a shutout, leading St. Louis to a 4-0 win over the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.

Allen (6-3-0) made 45 saves in Nashville's second Central Division game of the season and first of the Predators' five-game homestand.

"We gave up a lot of scoring chances today -- a couple games in a row where we gave up too many, but Jake's been stellar," Hitchcock said. "You need to win the special teams game if you expect to win on the road. We did this in Chicago and then we did it again tonight."

St. Louis (10-3-1) has scored 10 goals in its last two games, including Wednesday's 6-5 overtime win in Chicago.

The Blues killed two five-on-threes as Nashville's power play went 0-for-5. Allen was the difference as he stopped everything that came his way.

Nashville (8-3-2) missed a great opportunity when it failed to score during 1:20 of a five-on-three advantage late in the second period when left winger Magnus Paajarvi was called for holding and center Kyle Brodziak went to the penalty box for hooking.

"That was a tough spot," Allen said. "If they get a couple goals on that, it changes the game completely. They have some dangerous weapons out there and the guys did a great job."

The Predators fell to 4-1-1 at home with their first regulation loss at Bridgestone.

"I think a five-on-three can always impact a game," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "If you score it can break it open. If you can kill it, it can give you some life. We got the opportunities and looks we wanted, we just didn't bury them."

Predators defenseman Roman Josi said it was a game of lost opportunities.

"I thought (Allen) actually played a really good game," Josi said. "We had a lot of chances in the first and in the second period. He played really well. We just couldn't capitalize."

St. Louis took a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Parayko at 8:23 of the first period. Right winger Troy Brouwer slid a good pass to an uncovered Parayko at the bottom of the left faceoff circle, where he fired a snap shot into an open net as goaltender Pekka Rinne couldn't get over in time.

Parayko's fifth goal of the season came just 13 seconds after Predators center Mike Fisher was called for interference.

"That was an unbelievable down in the corner there," Parayko said. "(Troy) just slid it over to me and I pretty much had most of the net. (Jake) played phenomenal. He kept us in it all game. He was unreal."

St. Louis increased its lead to 2-0 on another power-play goal by Pietrangeolo at 2:30 of the third period. He fired a one-timer from the left faceoff circle that might have bounced off a Nashville defender on its way past Rinne. It was his first goal of the season.

Predators right winger James Neal was in the box for tripping.

All seven of the Blues' power-play goals this season have been scored on the road.

Three minutes later, Blues right winger Scottie Upshall, who began his career in Nashville, made himself at home with an unassisted goal that increased St. Louis' lead to 3-0 three minutes later.

Nashville came up short on 11 seconds of five-on-three play again midway through the third period.

Left winger Alexander Steen blasted a one-timer past Rinne from the right faceoff circle after taking a nice pass from right winger Vladimir Tarasenko, boosting the Blues' lead to 4-0 at 12:51 of the third period after a Nashville turnover.

Rinne, a Vezina Trophy finalist last season, fell to 7-2-2 with 24 saves.

NOTES: The Predators recalled D Anthony Bitetto from his conditioning assignment with Milwaukee of the American Hockey League on Saturday. ... Blues D Kevin Shattenkirk returned to the lineup after missing 10 games with a groin injury. ... Nashville scratched D Victor Bartley, D Anthony Bitetto and LW Eric Nystrom. ... St. Louis scratched C Steve Ott, RW Martin Havlat and D Robert Bortuzzo. ... Predators D Barret Jackman played his first game against the Blues since signing a free-agent contact with Nashville in July. He played 803 games for St. Louis during his first 13 NHL seasons before arriving in Nashville.
Top Game Performances
 
St. Louis   Nashville
Alexander Steen 2 Points N/A
Alexander Steen 1 Goals N/A
Scott Gomez 2 Assists N/A
Colton Parayko 1 Power Play Goals N/A
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Jake Allen 1.000 Save Percentage Pekka Rinne .857
Jake Allen 45 Saves Pekka Rinne 24
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
St. Louis 28 4 2-3 5-5 12 22
Nashville 45 0 0-5 1-3 8 35
Upcoming Games
  • Nashville will play their next game at home against Ottawa. The Predators have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .800 after a loss.
  • St. Louis will play their next game on the road against New Jersey. The Blues have a W/L % of .700 after a win and .750 after a loss.